Gromala Finalizes Volleyball Roster for 2018 Season
7/13/2018 3:06:00โฏPM | Women's Volleyball
KENT, Ohio โย Kent State volleyball's nationally-recognized recruiting class has received an additional boost, as head coachย Don Gromalaย announced the addition of two student-athletes for the upcoming 2018 season. Middle blockerย Ezri Edwards (Bloomington, Illinois) and opposite Melissa Kolurbasi (Istanbul, Turkey) increase the Golden Flashes' roster to 15 players.
"We were fortunate to find such talented late additions for this fall," said Gromala. "Both Ezri and Melissa have gained valuable experience recently with Ezri coming off a season at Bradley and Melissa training with one of the top clubs in Turkey. We feel confident about the competitive level in our gym and the depth at every position."
The addition of these two players gives Kent State seven newcomers for the upcoming season. The Flashes' recruiting class was previously named one of the top 100 nationally by PrepVolleyball.com. Edwards has three remaining years of eligibility, while Kolurbasi is a true freshman.
Ezri Edwardsย โขย 6-1ย โขย Middle Blockerย โขย Bloomington, Illinoisย
Having competed at the Division I level for Bradley last season, Edwards will bring experience to a youthful group of middles. She appeared in 24 matches for the Braves during her freshman year and posted averages of 1.10 kills and 0.50 blocks per set. Edwards tallied a season-high 11 kills in back-to-back matches against Loyola Chicago and Evansville and totaled a season-best six blocks against Murray State in her first career start.
"Ezri will be a solid all-around middle for us. She is strong attacking off of one foot and brings a lot of energy to the court."
Melissa Kolurbasiย โขย 6-1ย โขย Oppositeย โขย Istanbul, Turkey
Kolurbasi attended Anabilim Anatolian High School in Istanbul and competed at the club level for Fenerbahce Sports Club.
"Melissa is going be a lot of fun. Throughout the recruitment process, it became evident that her goals aligned with those of our volleyball program and the university. She is a smart attacker that can contribute at either pin and in the back row, and her serving will create a lot of point-scoring opportunities for us."
Kent State will begin practice during the second week of August as it prepares for the start of the 2018 season with three matches at the North Texas Invitational August 24-25.
Be sure to follow the Kent State volleyball team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates about the team.
